They Never Said Life Was Easy
by ModernMisconceptions
Summary: Max had thought she had left the life of an assassin, until she is pulled back into the world she swore never to return to. Now even more confused than ever some of her old enemies come back to haunt her. FAX of course.
1. Monster

**Okay this is for the people who can bother to read this. Gotta love those people. This is my first FanFic i want criticism, positive and negative feedback, everything even haters. Just don't use chat speak, I can't stand chat speak, WHAT IS WRONG WITH JUST WRITING THE WHOLE FRIKIN WORD, IS IT REALLY THAT HARD. grrrrrrrrrrrr. hahahaha watching the A TEAM while writing this gotta love crazy helicopter drivers. I am not bipolar just slightly insane. Might be because of all the bangs to the head. meh. Oh the song below is called 'Monster' by Paramore, they did it for Transformers 3 [Michael Bay isanationaltreasure,soisTimBurton, and i'll give someone a piece of virtual cake if someone can tell me what the Tim Burton Quote is off]. Anyway lets get on with this story. Any way I am just uploading the first chapter to see what people think and go from there.  
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**SUMMARY: Max is an ex-assassin who lives on the profits she gathers from being a barmaid and as the lead singer of the band named 'The Last Stand' at the Santa Maria night club in Mexico City, Mexico. She thought she had left the life of an assassin, until she is pulled back into the world she left behind years ago. Now, when she is convinced to do a job with one of the men she hates the most, what will she do when more of her past comes back to haunt her.**

**Max - Age 25**

**Fang - Age 25**

**Angel - Age 16**

**I will tell you the ages of any other characters later on when they come into the story.**

**WARNING CONTAINS COURSE LANGUAGE AND ADULT THEMES. But you probably are exposed to worse on TV.**

MAX POV

[MONSTER BY PARAMORE]

You were my conscience

so solid now you're like water

We started drowning

not like we'd sink any further

But I let my heart go

it's somewhere down at the bottom

But I'll get a new one.

come back for the hope that you've stolen

The words fell from my lips like water flowing down a stream. My vocal chords were raw and strung from singing for the three hours. But with each word I forced out of my mouth the more the melody seamed to connect, flow like water to the ocean, I started to drown in the melody cascading from my lips falling deeper and deeper all the time. I enjoyed singing even if it was just for the money now a days, it was one the things that he didn't take away from me. He had taken everything away from me except a few things that I refused to let go of.

I realized how much these lyrics would of applied to me at a certain time in my life ...No, no more, that's it. That experience only left raw feelings of hate and betrayal, nothing good ever came from that time, ever. I was Max I should be better than this. I shouldn't even be thinking of that, of him, of what he did. It had happened so long ago. It had been 10 years since then but still I couldn't shake the anger indented permanently on my soul, or what was left of my soul. I learnt a long time ago to live with it, to become stronger. Life isn't easy, no one ever said it was, to put it simply in the words of yours truly 'life is shit'. It was like we were made to struggle while others watched on laughing at us as we go. But is everyone really the victim or we just subjected to the consequences of the decisions we make our selves. In that way is anyone truly a complete victim, someone else's actions may inflict pain on us, but at the same our actions could of inflicted pain on another person. I learned not to care, to be indifferent, there is no use crying. It doesn't make anything better, at all. You have to learn to deal with the pain, hide it, become a rock. [**AN:** **ANGST****ANGST****ANGST**]

I closed my eyes drinking in all the sounds around me as I sung dragging away my previous thoughts. I heard my voice mingling in with all the other voices present in the club, the clink of glass on tables, the constant melody from the guitars. The rhythmic motive played on the drums caused vibrations within my mind making everything louder. The flashing lights illuminating the stage were blinding as they changed colour every 5 seconds from blue to red to green over and over again in the same pattern. I dragged in a ragged breath quickly. I felt the oxygen course through my body giving life. The atmosphere within the club was warm and humid from all the masses packed close together dancing. If what they were doing could even count as dancing, it basically consisted of jumping up and down constantly until you got tired or god forbid broke your ankle. But it didn't stop there, apparently now a days dancing also consists of two people grinding hard against in an attempt to have sex with clothes on. I mean really, what the fuck is wrong with the world, really. Oh well, if they want to scare everyone in the room permanently its their choice. Tiredly, I sucked another breath into my dry, parched throat before starting the chorus.

I'll stop the whole world

from turning into a monster, and eating us alive

Don't you ever wonder how we'd survive?

But now that you're gone the world is ours

I'm only human

I've got a skeleton in me

But I'm not the villain

despite what you're always preaching

Call me a traitor

I'm just collecting your victims

They're getting stronger,

I hear them calling

I'll stop the whole world

I'll stop the whole world

from turning into a monster, and eating us alive

Don't you ever wonder how we'd survive?

But now that you're gone the world is ours

Well you found us strength and solutions but I liked the tension

And not always knowing the answers when you're gonna lose it, you're gonna lose it.

I'll stop the whole world

I'll stop the whole world

from turning into a monster, and eating us alive

Don't you ever wonder how we'd survive?

But now that you're gone the world is ours

I'll stop the whole world

I'll stop the whole world

from turning into a monster, and eating us alive

Don't you ever wonder how we'd survive?

But now that you're gone the world is ours

The last note played by the guitar hung in the atmosphere for a few last seconds before fading into black. Air filled back into my lungs as I took an exhausted breath while the crowd applauded loudly in the background. Tonights show had gone longer than I thought it would and with the combination of a lack of sleep and last nights hangover I was exhausted.

The lights illuminating the stage were turned off leaving the band and I in darkness attempting to pack up all the equipment and instruments. Bastards, never gave us enough time to pack up before were escorted outside or in my case before i go on fucking bar duty for the second time today. The working quality wasn't the best here at the Santa Maria, you had to work for hours on end with little breaks in between. But it was the only gig you could get that didn't including dancing on a table semi naked, though I think that happens on tuesday nights, late. Very late indeed. What I wouldn't give to get a shot at the multiple ass holes that somehow kept this place running.

We quickly cleared the stage placing all the equipment in the storage room beside the stage, before collapsing on the couch that was stuck in the corner of the room breathing heavily.

"That went on forever" said Antonio, the bass man while taking in a deep breath. I looked around the room noticing all the odd stains untouched for years not really listening to what they were saying. The side room had always been very small, there was almost no room left to put anything. To even get to the couch you had to climb over multiple boxes and instruments. I never liked closed in spaces, when ever i stepped into one I always started to get nauseous. So i don't know what i was thinking when I sat down in this one. I could already feel my legs starting to shake as my head pounded. Every noise seemed to get louder than it actually was.

"I know that was the longest gig, I think I have ever played in my life, right Max" Hamilton asked, expecting an answer. I grunted not really caring what he said. I had to get out of this room now. I felt like something was creeping up my back, sweat dripped down from my bangs. Without looking back I ran to the door pushing it open, desperately turning the handle as I went. Sighed in relief as I shut the door behind me. I hadn't had an attack that bad in ages, ever since I was a kid. I don't really regret having this fear, it actually helps me feel like I am actually alive.

Techno music was blasted from the out of date speakers lining the walls of the packed club. People were grinding up against each other on the dance under the blinking coloured lights that made you have a concussion if you stared at them for too long. I jumped down from the stage and made my way to the bar navigating through the masses of sluts and and man whores on the dance floor. There had been quite a turn out tonight, which I didn't expect on a Thursday. Maybe there was some sought of festival I didn't know about on today or maybe a whole heap of the population of Mexico decided to take a holiday at the same time and didn't tell me. Wouldn't be the first time, I remember forgetting Christmas, not that i cared. I hate Christmas. It is just an excuse for people to get presents for no good reason and eat massive amounts of food while pretending they don't all ready look that fat. This is all happening while parents tell kids that there is a fat pixie named Santa that somehow gets a free present to every child in the whole freaking world in just 24 hours, by traveling by a reindeer powered sled. This all leads to millions of kids getting their hearts shattered when they realize that Santa is just their parents lying to them for at least the first 10 years of their life. Ohh, isn't today's society just great. Just look at all the people within this club for example, they come here just to get drunk and to rub up against each other with the oh so brilliant excuse that its 'dancing'. It's disgusting [ひどい] . And me, I have to basically be here serving these fucking idiots alcohol for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week. Though throwing them out on the street when they become disruptive and violent is fun, it definitely is one perk of the job along with the free alcohol and watching people make fools of themselves. Yep I am definitely living the dream.

"Hey Maxie, get over here right now or I am reviewing your pay check again" yells my oh so amazing employer, Senior Dip-shit as I like to call him but known by everyone else as Marcus Valentino. Bastard

"What!" I screeched in reply to his previous threat, stomping towards his position beside the bar, coming face to face with the pervert. That Bastard last time he reviewed my pay he cut it from 6 dollars to 4 dollars for a month. I had to go without hot water for a whole 30 days. But i did get revenge when i 'accidentally' made him fall down the stairs.

"You heard me, get behind the bar and start serving" Dip-shit replied with an arrogant smile, his putrid breath caressing my face. God, He just makes me so angry. I grabbed the tie he was wearing pulling him down to my level and looked threateningly into his eyes, silently daring him to keep talking. His mask faltered, and I heard his sharp in take of breath before he collected himself masking his fear with another arrogant smile. "Now Maxie, you don't want to do that"

"Oh, really?" I asked skeptically, death glaring at him. Oh boy I can't wait for the day when I can kill him. He shifted slightly under my gaze but kept talking anyway.

"We wouldn't want to come to a disagreement, would we now?" he replied. Oh that evil bastard,he was implying that something bad would happen if I didn't let go of his tie at least. He did not know who he was messing with, someday he was going to wish he never hired me. A devilish smirk grew on my face as i observed the unruly state of his tie.

"Oh look at that, you wouldn't want to appear in public in such a state" I said as I quickly tightened the knot of his tie momentarily cutting off Marcus's air supply. "That's much better" I said while dusting down his coat with my hands. Senior Dip-Shit's face was a gigantic tomato, he looked like he was severely sunburned. His face got redder and redder in rage as I turned and walked away from him, silently laughing all the way to the bar.

Now you know those hot Mexicans with darkly tanned skin, rich dark eyes and muscles that put models to shame well Marcus Valentino is not one of them. He was more like the middle aged perverted ass hole with a pedo mustache and a beer gut that spends most of their time going between the bar and the whore house next door. The only difference between Senior Dip-shit and them was the fact that he owned the pub and the whorehouse all in one which was generally operated in the back room behind the stage. Only a few people knew about the the behind the scenes dealings of the club 'Santa Maria' and Valentino wanted to keep it that way. If people knew everything that happened behind the closed doors of the club Marcus wouldn't have anymore customers. Now wouldn't that be sad, I can hear the violins right now. But unfortunately for me Marcus was the only man that didn't pay you less than four dollars an hour if you were a woman. Bastard apparently treats women well, which we all know is just for show. So he needs me to keep up appearances, and provide entertainment 5 nights a week.

I looked up at the clock placed above the bar. It was now 10 o'clock and there were even more people pouring into the club drinking, laughing, dancing. There was completely no room left at the bar, as people crowded around the bar like ants to honey. The alcohol was the main thing that drove this club, that drove any club. People needed to get drunk to forget their problems, to fuck something that was remotely human. That's just the way it was in this side of town.

"Ahh Maxie, what are we going to do with you" Commented someone behind the bar as i entered from the side entrance. I looked up to see Carlos, the bar manager staring down at me intently. Rage swelled in my stomach. No one calls me 'Maxie' unless they don't want my fist in their gut.

"Don't ever call me Maxie again" I threatened looking hard into his eyes.

"Awww, but Maxie" he whined, looking at me while pouring a martini for a brunette girl in a short strapless red dress. Oh well, I did worn him. His loss, literally. Before Carlos could blink he was on the ground, holding his crutch, howling in pain as others looked on with surprise in their eyes.

"Fuck, you bitch" he screeched as I walked over him.

"You can try" I replied nonchalantly before walking over to the brunette girl frozen at the bar, martini in hand. I toke the drink out of the girls hands forcefully and drank it all in one go.

"Hey" the brunette objected. I shot her the bird disregarding her completely. What, she can't except to where that rag of clothing and not expect to be fucked over. I looked around for the next person to serve and I saw that most people had stepped back from the bar in fear instead of crowding round the bar like mad chickens. My eyes reached out further out into the crowd dancing and drinking at the tables. They were completely oblivious to what had just happened. I looked back down at the bar obliviously until I felt warm breath caress my ear and heard a familiar toned voice

"You haven't changed at all Max"

**Gaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh I think I swapped tenses too much. Oh God Oh God. It was terrible wasn't it. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Oh look a hoola hoop. I HATE HOOLA HOOPS THEY'RE EVIL CONTRAPTIONS THAT ALWAYS ELUDE ME. EVIL EVIL EVIL. god i hope my friends aren't reading this. heh heh heh. ANY WAY, NO BETTER WAY TO END A PARAGRAPH THAN WITH A CLIFF HANGER. HEHEHEHEHE BETCHA YOU DON'T KNOW WHO IT IS[probably easy]. VIRTUAL CAKE FOR REVIEWER WITH MOST CREATIVE ANSWER**

**UNTIL NEXT TIME**

**MODERN MISCONCEPTIONS (god, there are just so many)**


	2. Confrontations

**NEXT CHAPTER MWAHAHAHAHAHHA. I am a bit sad I only got one review though.**

"You haven't changed at all Max"

My breathing was sharp and ragged as I looked up to the person in front of me. It seemed like the whole world paused for one second as I looked into those dark pools that were eyes. Recognition flitted across my mind as I realized who it was. 'BASTARD, NOW HE DECIDES TO SHOW UP'. I stared up angrily at the dark haired man rage evident on my face. Acting swiftly, I bought my hand back behind my head and snapped it forward aiming for his face. In a blur the man caught my fist, squeezing it tightly within his left hand.

"Fang", I growled with mixed emotions evident in my voice. But in reality I just couldn't believe I had just uttered the name of the person I swore to never ever to meet again, in the rest of my crappy existence. God, if there is one, must really hate me and I know I have done some bad things in my life, but didn't deserve this. Okay maybe a lot of bad things but I still didn't deserve this punishment. He smirked at my action, making my anger grow even further.

"It's been awhile, Fang, now why don't you get out of here before this gets ugly" I threatened, grinding my teeth together.

His smirk grew larger at my comment. "Still as feisty as I remember, empty threats and everything"

"Piss off before I make you" I steamed itching to get another shot at him.

"I'm sorry, but you see. I can't," Fang uttered condescendingly "I'm here to deliver a message for you"

"What ever you have to say, I do not want to hear" I almost yelled this in his face as I noticed that annoying smirk that was always present on his fucking face.

"Oh you'll want to here this" He laughed while leaning over the counter in order to whisper in my ear. I flinched as he put a hand to cover my ear as if we were back in grade school and he was telling me who he liked. Fang turned serious suddenly, his voice urgent and troubled "Their coming for you Max and this time it will be harder to escape their grasp" . I flinched as Fang spoke in my ear. His words struck a chord in my dead heart. Why now, Why did it have to happen, I was out, i thought i would never have to go back again. But life has a way of surprising you no matter what. I pulled away slightly and met Fang's hard piercing gaze with one of my own. This was one of the only times I had seen fang serious and almost scared. My breath caught, we we're so close, i could feel his breath caress my face. I felt a distant warmth take over my body. I hadn't felt this way in years, it felt like something from a memory, something from the distant past."look after yourself Max" Fang whispered warningly as he pulled back. As soon as proximity between us widened I instantly felt cold, i could feel the ice return to my heart as I snapped out of my daze, leaving the warmth I had once felt but a distant memory.

"Don't worry, Fang, I can take care of my self" I answered condescendingly.

"Oh can you now" Fang smirked as he turned and disappeared into the crowd. I watched his back as he made his way to the door before he vanished behind the tinted windows

I learned a long time ago, that nobody could be trusted, trust is a liability and only opened you up to betrayal. But I broke that rule once, only once and it was disastrous. Now i never thought it would come back to haunt me. But these things always find away of catching up with you. Always and thats a promise.

I looked around me the bar was crowded again with drunks and would be drunks. They all seemed the same to me. Clothes half stained, eyes clouded and hair a mess. I watched the crowd finding entertainment in some peoples attempts at dancing while pouring drinks. Something to the right caught my eye. There was a teenage girl standing just inside the entrance with a tall old man in a suit. These two were not the same as the rest, their clothes were clean and pressed, the girls hair fell in well fashioned ringlets down her shoulders and the man stood stiffly straightening his coat every few seconds. It was so obvious that these two did not belong. Yet they had somehow for what ever reason, stepped into this club tonight.

Their eyes were roaming the crowd, as if they were searching for something important. The young girls eyes caught my attention. They were a brilliant bright sparkling blue. She looked too innocent, too pure for here. What the hell was a person like that doing here.

Her gaze met mine and her eyes widened a little as if she had finally found what she was looking for. I looked behind me searching for the thing she was looking for. But there was nothing their.

I turned back around and tried to find the girl again. She had started to walking towards me but was having trouble navigating through the crowd packed closely together. Her eyes locked on mine again. And I saw something i hadn't seen in a long time. Determination. This girl just wouldn't give up she refused to be pushed back by the crowd.

Trying again to navigate through the crowd, she pushed and shoved her way through, ruffly but dignified. Instead of her moving with the crowd it seemed like the crowd was moving for her instead. This girl wasn't ordinary.

She made her way to bar, standing right in front of me with the old man in the suit behind her.

"Are you Miss Maximum Ride" The old man asked stiffly grabbing my attention from the young girl.

"That depends on who wants to know" I said, smirk plain on my face. I turned away from them, walking to serve the middle aged man sitting on a bar stool two meters away. I was not just going to give out my identity to whoever. No one can be trusted no matter how innocent they look.

"If you are Miss Ride, I have a proposition for you" This voice was different from the old mans. It was more high pitched, obviously the young girl's.

"Ohh, what kind of proposition?"I asked while turning around to face the couple again.

"Are you Miss Ride, I have to be sure" the young girl pushed on speaking forcefully.

"This is how it goes, you tell me what your proposition and I will tell you if I am actually Miss Ride, Equivalent Exchange" I said while I glared at the two people in front of me.

"Madam I assure you we mean you no harm" The old man tried to assure me. God, I've heard that one before.

"No its alright Graham, she has a right to keep her identity to her self"

"But Madam" The old guy said. He was silenced by a commanding hand from the blonde girl.

"Fine, I will tell you because I know you are Maximum Ride, ex-assassin, but only because I must" Shee said staring me straight in the eyes.

"Miss Ride, I want you to come work for me"...


End file.
